Center for Prostate Health
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The good news is, if prostate cancer is detected early — when it’s still confined to the prostate gland — there is an excellent chance of successful treatment with minimal or short-term side effects.
Community Memorial's Center for Prostate Health is dedicated to providing men with education, screening, intervention and expert treatment of prostate cancer. The center is staffed by radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and urologists who specialize in prostate health.
Advanced Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer
The Center for Prostate Health offers the most advanced cancer therapy technology and treatment options, including robotic-assisted surgical techniques, image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), as well as options in medical oncology (chemotherapy).
Surgical Treatment Options
A number of surgical options are available and are tailored to the needs of each individual. They include robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, nerve-sparing robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, open prostatectomy, nerve-sparing open prostatectomy and cryosurgery.
- Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy — minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery to remove the prostate gland; to perform the surgery, the surgeon manipulates four computerized robot arms
- Nerve-sparing robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy — minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery to remove the prostate gland while sparing the nerves that control a man’s ability to have an erection; to perform the surgery, the surgeon manipulates four computerized robot arms
- Open prostatectomy — open (non-laparoscopic) surgery to remove the prostate gland using a standard incision
- Nerve-sparing open prostatectomy — open (non-laparoscopic) surgery that uses a standard incision to remove the prostate gland while sparing the nerves that control a man’s ability to have an erection
- Cryosurgery – uses a special instrument to freeze and destroy cancer cells in the prostate gland
Radiation Therapy Treatment Options
Since many tumors are deep in the body, their location must be “mapped” using imaging, so radiation therapy can be delivered accurately and effectively. Along with radioactive seed implants (standard brachytherapy), IMRT and IGRT technology allows us to target and deliver the most effective radiation treatments for prostate cancer.
- Radioactive seed implants, also called standard brachytherapy, are another option for treating prostate cancer. With this technique, radioactive “seeds” are implanted in the prostate in a minor outpatient surgical procedure; the seeds give off radiation at a low dose rate over several weeks and remain in the prostate gland permanently.
- IMRT is one of the most advanced techniques for delivering external beam radiation. It shapes the radiation dose to precisely match the shape of the tumor, so higher doses of radiation can be given with less risk of damage to normal tissues surrounding the tumor.
- IGRT takes the accuracy of radiation treatments one step further. It combines scanning and radiation technology to provide images of the patient’s organs at the time of treatment. IGRT determines the actual location of the tumor, so that radiation is delivered precisely to the tumor, even as it moves during treatment.
Patient Support
Men facing a diagnosis of prostate cancer may worry about caring for their families, keeping their jobs, or continuing daily activities. Concerns about treatments and managing side effects, relationships and emotions are also common. Center for Prostate Health team members work together to address issues such as patient education, help with treatment decision-making, coordination of care and emotional support.
The Prostate Cancer Support Group meets once each month in a relaxed setting for learning, obtaining the latest information on treatment from health professionals and gaining support from group members who have also been diagnosed with prostate cancer.